Slide rule



June 23, 1953 M. J. QUILLINAN 2,643,057

SLIDE RULE Filed March 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet l w QQaZLiw.

IN V EN TOR.

June 23, 1953 M. J. QUILLINAN SLIDE RULE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed larch 5; 1951 3 Q? m Kw IN VEN TOR.

June 23, 1953 M. J. QUILLINAN 2,643,057

SLIDE RULE Filed larch 5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 23, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLIDE RULE Michael J. Quillinan, New York, N. Y.

Application March 5, 1951, Serial No. 213,927

The present invention relates to a new and simplified slide rule having improved quality of reciprocation, readability, and accuracy.

The rule consists of a rotatable scaled rod which is matingly receivable in a scaled barrel. The barrel is bored on one of its sides to receive the rod along its length of travel and surrounds a majority of the perimeter of said rod leaving exposed scaled portions. These latter exposed scaled por tions and the scaled portions of the barrel register with an index surrounding both and in yielding engagement therewith.

By use of novel automatic adjusting and compensating means provided in the barrel, the rod flexibly travels in the bored side of the barrel resulting in a combination of sliding scale, stationary scale, and index which uniquely overcomes the adverse effects of increment of temperature and humidity in the atmosphere to which slide rules-are sensitive. Moreover, these adverse effects, such as warpage, surface stickiness and uncalculable expansion, heretofore adversely afiecting more fluid reciprocation of the rules elements, are compensated for automatically in a thoroughly practicable and economical manner. By combining a rotatable rod with a barrel arrangement and indexing means, as is to be hereinafter disclosed, greater scale area per unit length of slide rule is furnished permitting a greater multitude of graduations with corresponding allowable increase in the spacing of said graduations, thereby enhancing readability as well as accuracy.

Accordingly, it is among the primary objects of the invention to provide a slide rule that provides a maximum of scaled surfaces while having a fluid reciprocation along its length of travel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a more readable rule with automatic adjusting and compensating means. Another primary object of the invention is to provide a slide rule index which is expandable and necessarily remains coaxial with th rules reciprocating elements.

Another primary object of the invention is to provide a slide rule index that is expandable, nongyrable and economical.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a slide rule that has automatic adjusting and compensating means and scaled elements which remain co-aXial throughout the extremes of reciprocation, said means being simple and economically provided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a slide rule having the advantages of cylindrical slide rule construction, namely, increased scale area, and yet practically and economically has the 28 Claims. (01. 23570) graduated surfaces placed proximate to the index mark.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a rotatable sliding scale more fluid -reciprocation and rotation and corresponding superior automatic adjusting and compensating means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a slide rule that is rotatably stationed throughout the extremes of reciprocation while being alternately rotatable as it is desired to realign sliding and stationary scales, said rule having automatic adjusting and compensating means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a slide rule having automatic adjusting and compensating means which rule is economical in manufacture having readily assembled, simply fabricated components.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out, similar parts having similar reference characters in the accompanying disclosure, wherein:

Figure 1 is a lengthwise view of the slide rule.

Figure 2 is an end view of the slide rule in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rule taken along line 33 in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a transverse section view of a portion of the rule similar to that of Figures 1-3, taken along line 44 in Figure 1. Figure 4, however, is a view of the barrel of the rule when the rod is not in place in the barrel bore, while Figures 1-3 illustrate the rule when the rod is inserted in the barrel bore.

Figur 5 is a lengthwise view of a modification of the slide rule.

Figure 6 is an end view of the rule in Figure 5.

' Figure 7 is a sectional, longitudinal view of the rule taken along line 1--1 in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view of the rule taken along line 88 in Figure 5 and comparable to Figure 4 of the first modification. 1

Figure 9 is 'a lengthwise view of a second modification of the slide rule. 7

Figure 10 is an end view of the rule in Figure 9.

Figure 1 1 is a transversesectional view of the rule taken along line Il-H in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a transverse sectional view of the rule taken along line l2-l2 in Figure 9 similar to those views in previous Figures 4 and 8.

Figure 13 is a sectional longitudinal view of the rule taken along line l3-I3 in Figure 10.

Inasmuch as the invention refers to slide construction and not to the scales provided thereon, the same are omitted from the drawings for sake of clarity.

The slide rule consists of a rod, generally shown J as I8, and a barrel, generally shown as II. The barrel I I is bored as at 82 providing arcuate seats l3 and I4 wherein and wherealong rod I8 is designed to reciprocate and rotate. The rod ill being substantially similarly arcuate on its surface is freely receivable in the bore portion I2 and the latter surrounds the former by something substantially greater than 180 degrees, thereby permitting barrel I I to retain rod In so as to leave only a portion of the scaled perimeter of the rod exposed.

While the barrel is shown as circular on its outer periphery it may well be shaped comparable to the Mannheim variety without departing from the spirit of the invention. The instant cylin- 4 place in the barrel II, the rod I0 is of such dimension that the rod displaces strip I8 downward against springs 23 such that the rod is suspended between the upper free edges of barrel seats I3 and I4 and layer 20.

Throughout the extremes of reciprocation, the even free edges of the barrel seat in conjunction with the positioning effect of the face I9 of strip I8, since it corresponds in arc to that of rod I0, maintains the latter at all times "coaxial and parallelwith the barrel I I. t

Manual adjustments necessary to overcome friction between the reciprocating scales are drical modification is deemed preferable since it permits a greater plurality of scalearea.

Located below seats I3 and His channel I5, arcuate on its lower face I6 and substantially matingly engageable with the peripheral portion I1 of'strip I8 which extends along the lengthof barrel II. The upper face I9 of strip I8'is' cor-, respondingly concave so as to bear against a substantial portion of the enclosed rods surface. A felt-lined layer of even-textured lining material is optionally interposed between the scaled surfaces of rod I0 and strip face is thereby protecting the rods-graduations from undue scorations and soiling as the rod is manipulated.

Thestrip I8 is substantially less in lateral dimension than the channel I5 although being of sufiicient width to insure that the strips slanting sides 2I will not be displaced past the throat of the channel located at the latters upper extremities where its slanting sides 22 join seats I3 and I4, respectively, of the barrel I I. Thus it Will be seen that strip I8 is retained in channel I5 being limited in its displacement in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel.

Moreover, the layer 20 and concaveface I9 clear the throat of channel I5 a. substantial amount When the strip I8 approaches its lower limits of displacement in the channel. This feature of construction will be hereinafter explained.

Springs 23. are located along the length-of the strip I8 and barrel II is deposited between the face of peripheral portion I! and the lower face I6 of channel I5, respectively. Springs 23 in the preferred modification consist of strips of elastic spring-like material such as spring steel, which. when distorted from a substantially flat condition to a concave condition, directs spring'tension in adirection the reverse of the distorting force. The springs 23 are seated in spring seats 24 and 25 located both on the strips peripheral portion I! and the channels'lower face I6 respectively, said seats being inset from the lowermost contacting surface of strip IB-and channel l5 such that when springs 23 are properly deposited and put under tension strip- I 8 and chan-' nel I5 are evenly coaxially engageable throughout. Furthermore, spring seats 24 and 25 serve to keep the strip I8 and barrel II in longitudinal alignment throughout. The above arrangement of strip I8, barrel II and spring 23 serve as, and are what has been alludedto as, automatic adjusting and-compensating means.

Referring to Figure 4, it'will be seen that spring 23 lies in a substantially flat position when the rod [0 is not inserted in seats I3 and I4 of the barrel II, the slanting sides 2| of the strip I8 being urged against slanting sides 22 ofthe barrel II.

In operation, whenthe rod III is inserted into avoided since the springs 23 resiliently yield to accommodate such conditions along the length of travel of the rules components.

Augmenting this automatic compensation for the necessary adjustment to the changing atmosphere is the compensating effect of index 26. The index consists of "an arcuate portion 26a which engages and;registers with rod I0, and supplemental arcuate portions 26b and 260 which embrace the barrel I-I providing an expandable transparent index.

By the inherent resiliency of the material of the index 25, and sincethe index is slit longitudinally as at 21, the function of automatic adjusting and compensating dimensions to changing atmospheric conditions is enhanced. It will be noted that the axes of arcuate portions 26a, 26b and 260 are parallel. To explain, since these axes are parallel and since the index 26 resiliently embraces the scaled surfaces of rod I0 and barrelII, these scaled rule components are constrained to reciprocate along parallel axes.

Moreover, the effect of the springs 23 incoaxially positioning the rod and barrel,- mutually. contributes to the constraining of the index 26 to slide coaxially and not to gyrate. Furthermore, since theaxes of portions 26a, 23b and 260 are parallel; any eccentric application of force which would ordinarily tend to gyrate the index 26 would be neutralized not only by the resiliency of the index material but also bythe incongruous relationship that would exist between the dissimilar surfaces of arc portions 26a, 26b and 260. The overall net effect of such compensating action is that hairlines 28a, 28b and 280 remain respectively coaxial with each other as well as with rod II) and barrel lI., while the rod'and barrel remain coaxial with the index as a Whole and eachmaterially contributes to the desired relationship of coaxiality throughout the extremesof reciprocation.

Theinvention herein disclosed is necessarily susceptible of many ramifying modificationsand the number of rods 'need not necessarily be limited in number to one but rather may be multiplied about the rule perimeter.

One such modification is shown in Figures 5-8. This second modification has provided therein the automatic adjusting and compensating hereinabove alluded to and in addition has provided means whereby the rod 30, in reciprocating along the length of travel inbarrel 3|, is rendered nonrotatable while the scaled portions 3201f the rod are registering with cylindrical index 33 and the hairline 3 5 provided on the inner face thereof.

This latter means consists'of grooves 35 uniformly positioned between scaled portions 32 about the perimeter of rod 39, which grooves receive a bulb or such similar projection 36 provided on the upper free ends 31 of barrel'BI. The are of scaled portions 32 coincides with the a e eii s se lss' s 'm i r: th r! an st the index 33 registers evenly with both the sliding and stationary scales of the rule. The strip 38 is similar to the strip of the previous modification and is urged upward by the leaf spring 39 against rod in a manner also similar to that of the previous modification.

Should it be desirable to reposition one of the scaled portions 32 such that the rod scales are replaced from indexing relation with the barrel 3 l, by simply applying downward pressure on the rod 38, the bulbs 36 are brought out of engagement with grooves 35, the leaf springs 39 allowing strip 38 to yield downwardly, and the rod is spun such that the desired scaled portion 32 is brought into proximate relation with the index 33 and the barrel scales. The barrel seats 40 are indented substantially to allow such free rotation or rod 30 to take place.

Thus it will be seen that the rod 3|! is readily rotatable when the same is desired, and yet stationed to permit the bulbs 36 to ride in grooves 35 as the rule is manipulated, thereby assuring that the desired scale remains exposed along its length of travel without the necessity of removing the rod 30 completely should a repositioning of the scaled portions 32 by needed.

The index 33 being expandable by being split as at 4|, assists in the function of the automatic adjusting and compensating means as alluded to heretofore.

Another such similar modification is shown in Figures 9-13. This modification serves substantially the same function as'the last modification in that resilient depression of rod 42 permits the rod to be alternately spun as the need arises without requiring the rod to be removed from its socket in barrel 43, and still allows the barrel 43 to reciprocate with rod 42 by the bulbs 44 riding in grooves 45 along the length thereof. In addition, the rods scaled portions 46 extend beyond the circumferential outline of barrel 43 permitting the use of a multi-arced split index 41 similar to that of the first disclosed modification. Thus the rule accuracy gained by the multi-arced index 41 in maintaining an expandable and nongyrable expandable index, as herein disclosed, are advantageously combined with automatic adjusting and compensating means while permitting such flexible scale stationing means as indicated in the disclosure of the second slide rule modification.

Having fully described the invention, and desiring a broad as distinguished from a literal and strict interpretation of the modifications herein, what I claim is:

l. A'slide rule comprising areciprocable rod and a barrel, said barrel bored along at least one face thereof, said rod retained in the bored portion of said barrel, the axis of said rod eccentric to the axis of said barrel, scales provided upon the external faces of said rod and said barrel, the faces of said rod and said barrel arcuate and having different respective arc radii, said faces adapted to receive a multi-arced index resiliently embracing said faces.

' 2. A slide rule comprising a scaled rod and barrel, said barrel bored along at least one face thereof, said rod retained and reciprocable in the bored portion of the barrel, the faces of said rod and said barrel arcuate and having different respective cambers, a multiarced index complementary to said faces and resiliently embracing said faces.

3. A slide rule comprising a scaled rod and barrel, said barrel bored along at least one face thereof, said rod retained in and reciprocable along the bored portion of said barrel, the axis of said rod eccentric to the axis of said barrel, the faces of said rod and said barrel convex and having different respective cambers, a multiarced index complementary to said faces and resiliently embracing said faces.

4. A slide rule comprising a scaled rod and barrel, said barrel bored along at least one face thereof, said rod retained in and reciprocable with the bored portion of said barrel, the axis of said rod eccentric and parallel to the axis of said barrel, said rod rotatable within said barrel, said rod having a substantially cylindrical face, the external face of said barrel arcuate and having an arc radius different from that of said rod, a multi-arced index complementary to the faces of said rod and said barrel and resiliently engageable therewith and circumjacent thereto.

5. A slide rule comprising a. scaled rod and barrel, said barrel bored along at least one face thereof, said rod retained in and reciprocable within the bored portion of said barrel, the axis of said rod eccentric and parallel to the axis of said barrel, said rod rotatable within said barrel, said rod having substantially cylindrical connecting faces, the external face of said barrel arcuate and having a camber different from that of the rod, said rod and barrel adapted to receive a multiarced index complementary to the faces of said rod and said barrel and yieldingly embraceable thereon.

6. A slide rule of the character described in claim 5, which slide rule 'has a felt strip deposited in said bored portion between said rod and said barrel.

7. A slide rule of the character described in claim 5, said slide rule having a felt strip deposited in said bored portion between said rod and said barrel, a multiarced split index complementary to and expandable upon said rod and barrel combination.

8. A slide rule comprising in combination, a rod, 9, barrel bored throughout its length to eccentrically receive said rod, said rod of external contour complementary to' said bore, slideable therewith, and rotatable therein, and automatic adjusting and compensating means located within the body of said barrel acting upon said rod to urge it into engagement with said barrel, a slot lengthwise of the barrel and communicating with said bore and indicia on said rod in position to be observed through said slot, and indicia along at least one side of the slot, said indicia on said rod and said barrel being respectively registrable by sliding said rod Within said barrel.

9. A slide rule comprising in combination, a rod, a barrel bored throughout its length to .eccentrically receive said rod, said rod of external contour complementary to said bore, slideable therewith and rotatable therein, and automatic adjusting and compensating means located within the body of said barrel acting upon said rod resiliently to urge it into engagement with said barrel, said barrel arcuate on its exposed portions, the rod associated with said barrel presenting an arcuate surface differing from. the exposed portions of said barrel, whereby said rod and said barrel may receive a resilient expandablle index of multiarced contour on said slide ru e.

10. A slide rule comprising in combinatioma rod, a barrel bored throughout its length to eccentrically receive said rod, said rod of external j contour complementary to said bore, slideable therewith, and rotatable therein, and automatic adjusting and compensating means resiliently located within thebody of said barrel acting upon said rod to urge it into engagement with said barrel, a slot lengthwise of the barrel and comtherewith, and rotatable therein, and resilient means located within the body of said barrel acting upon said rod to urge it into engagement with said barrel, a slot lengthwise of the barrel and communicating with said bore, the sides of said slot receivable in grooves provided about the perimeter of said rod, the exposed portions of said rod extending resiliently without said slot and arcuate, said rod being depressible in said'barrel.

12. A slide rule comprising in combination, a rod, a barrel bored throughout its length to cocentrically receive said rod, said rod of external contour complementary to said bore, slideab-le therewith, and resilient means located within the body of said barrel acting upon said rod to urge it into combination relation with said barrel, a

slot lengthwise of the barrel and communicating with said bore, the sides of saidslot receivable in grooves provided about the perimeter of said rod, said rod dep-ressible in said barrel, and means for constraining said resilient means to act coaxially upon said rod.

13. A slide rule comprising a rod and a barrel having scales thereon, said barrel retaining said rod therewithin on a bored face thereof, a substantial portion of the perimeter of said rod without the confines of said barrel, automatic adjusting and compensating means provided on said barrel between said rodand said'barrel, said means comprising. a channel in said barrel, a strip interfitting therein, at least one spring deposited between the lower extremities of said strip, and said channel, said spring urging said strip against said rod and the latter against the upper reaches of said barrel.

14. A slide rule comprising a rod and'a barrel scaled on their respective faces and acting in combination, said barrel bored to receive said rod coaxially, a majority of the perimeter of said rod being enclosed by the free edges of said barrel, said free edges coaxial with said rod, automatic adjusting and compensating means provided between said rod and said barrel and com.- prising a yieldingly supported strip, means for resiliently supporting said strip in said barrel, said strip being urged against said rod, said rod being urged against the upper reaches of said barrel.

15. A slide rule comprising a rod and a barrel acting in combination, said barrel bored to receive said rod at at least one face thereof, a majority of the perimeter of said rod being enclosed by the free edges of said barrel, said free edges coaxial with said rod, automatic adjusting and come pensating means. including a strip provided between said rod and said barrel and comprising means for yieldably supporting said strip in said barrel, said strip being longitudinally stationary in said barrel.

'16. A slide rule comprising a rod and'a barrel bored on at least one face thereof, a majority of the perimeter of said rod being enclosed by the free edgesof said barrel, said free edges coaxially aligned with said rod, automatic adjusting and compensating means provided between said rod and said barrel and comprising means for yieldingly supporting a strip in said barrel, said strip being axially stationary in said barrel, bulb portions on said free edges engaging grooved portions onsaid rod, said rod depressible in and rotatable in said barrel.

'17. A slide-rule comprising a rod and a barrel acting in combination, said barrel and rod scaled on their respective outer surfaces, said barrel retaining said rod therewithin, along at least one face thereof, a'majority of the perimeter of said rod encompassed by the freeedges of an arcuate barrel bore, automatic adjusting and compensating means provided Within said barrel bore betweensa'id rod and said bore, said means having a channel with a strip interfitted therein, said strip arcuate on its lower face, said strip matingly receivable on the lower face of said channel, at least one spring deposited between said strip and said channel.

18. A slide rule of the character described in claim 17, said rod rotatable in said barrel.

19. A slide rule of the character described in claim 17, said rod rotatable within said barrel, the upper face of said strip matingly receivable with said rod.

20. A slide rule of .the character describedin claim 17, said spring being characterized as a leaf spring.

21. For a slide rule having a reciprocating rod and barrel and index, the barrel portion of said slide rule, said barrel scaled on its outer surface, said barrel being adapted to retain said rod therewithin along at least one face thereof, said barrel encompassing a majority of the perimeter of said rod by the free edges of a barrel bore, the lower extremity of said bore having a channel therein to receive automatic adjusting and compensating means.

i 22. For a slide rule having a reciprocating rod and barrel, the barrel portion of said slide rule, said barrel scaled on its outer surface, said barrel being adapted to receive said rod therewithin along at least one bored face thereof, said barrel encompassing a majority of the perimeter of said rod, said bore arcuate on its sides and substantially complementary to said rod to permit the depression of said rod in said barrel and the rotation of said rod relative to said barrels scaled surface, automatic adjusting and compensating .means being retained by said barrel on the lower extremity of said bore. 1 23. For a slide rule having a reciprocating rod,

1 barrel and index, the barrel of said slide rule,

said barrel bored along at least one face thereof, a channel area on the lower extremity of the bored portion of said face, a channel strip complementary to said channel, means for urging said strip out of said channel, said means comclaim 23, said limiting means comprising inwardly slanting sides on said channel coaxially engageable with said strips sides.

26. In a barrel of the character described in claim 23, the under portion of said strip cambered and complementary to the lower face of said channel.

27. A slide rule comprising a rod and a barrel scaled on their respective faces acting in combination, said barrel bored to receive said rod, a majority of the perimeter of said rod being enclosed by the free-end edges of said barrel, automatic adjusting and compensating means provided between said rod and said barrel and comprising a yieldable strip, at least one spring member spacing said strip from said barrel, said strip being urged by said spring member against said rod, said rod being urged against said barrel.

28. For a slide rule, an index having a plurality 10 of arced connecting portions, said portions having axes respectively parallel and coaxial with the slide rule, said portions embracing said slide rule and resilient thereon, the slide rule having a 

